Relaxation
by AdmHawthorne
Summary: Jane takes a little personal time. Maura tries to find some peace from Angela. Jo takes a nap.
1. Chapter 1

**Characters aren't mine. They belong to Tess Gerritsen, Janet Tamaro, Warner Brothers, TNT, and other assorted people. I get nothing from this but the fun of writing it. Do be warned, I never proof read, but I normally luck out and only miss a few things. ;-)**

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><p>"Jo, I think I need to change up my routine." Jane walked around her apartment, running her eyes over everything she could see, and taking mental notes of things she might want to considering dealing with at some point in the near future. "The apartment's pretty clean, I did the dishes last night, my laundry's done, and I <em>am not<em> waxing the floors. I don't care what Ma says, that's just not happening."

She walked around her living space, still searching for something but coming up short. "I walked you half an hour ago." She glanced at the little dog as she happily chewed away at a rawhide. "You're not even listening to me." She rolled her eyes. "Why do I bother? Okay, so it's a Saturday at noon, and the best I can do is pacing around my apartment and talking to my dog. God, this is so sad." She stopped moving and plopped down on the sofa. "Maybe I should do something… relaxing? What do you think?" Again, she looked over to her furry companion to find Jo curled up in her bed. "Right, relaxing it is. Not tired enough to take a nap, though. Mmmm," she sighed heavily. "I think it's bath time." She stood up and walked toward the bathroom, turning at the last second before disappearing into the other part of the apartment to comment to Jo, "Hold my calls, and don't answer the door, okay?"

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><p>Bath time for Jane was less about doing anything that someone might want to watch in a locked room with the lights dimmed down and more about taking a moment to pamper herself like the girl she pretended not to be most of the time. Hidden behind her towels and regular toiletries in her bathroom, she kept a stash of bath salts, bubbles, and bath oils that, when combined, smelled of lavender, vanilla, and just a hint of white sage.<p>

As she let the bath fill with warm water, she poured in to combination of bath goodies, and then turned to pull out a small radio. Setting it carefully on the edge of her sink, she hurried off to her bedroom to retrieve her mp3 player. She popped it into place in the radio, and selected a music list marked "BT".

The playlist was filled with music that was relaxing and something she could hum along to if she wanted. She smirked as she thought about how many people wouldn't believe she had this kind of girly moment. With a snort of amusement, she stripped, pulled her hair up, and placed a fluffy towel on the commode. "Missing something. Oh!" She snapped her fingers as she dug around in her cabinet to pull out a few candles and a lighter. She set them carefully around, light them, hit the lights, and sighed. "Better."

Humming along to the music flowing around the quiet space she was creating, she turned the water off, pulled out a face mask, shaving things, a puff, and a body wash she only used when she was having a bath time moment. Setting the items on the side of the tube, she stepped over and sank down into the warm inviting water.

A scratch at the door was the only warning she had before Jo nosed it opened and slipped inside to settle on the bathmat beside the tub.

"Could resist, could you?" Jane chuckled. "Fine, but don't even _think_ about trying to jack my bubbles. I'll lock you up for that." At the tilt of Jo's head, Jane just rolled her eyes and playfully pushed the bubbles around. "Fine. I'll think about it. I'm also thinking a manicure is in order. I wonder if Kelly can take me this afternoon?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Angela, please, I'm trying to finish this report." Maura's frown grew with each passing moment that Angela Rizzoli insisted on cleaning her house for her. "I have a maid. It's not necessary for you to do this. Rosa will be here in two days."

"I don't mind! I've to you before, Maura, that you should give Rosa a break while I'm here. I want to be able to help since you've been so nice to let me stay." Angela stopped vacuuming for the moment to address the other woman. "Besides, it's the weekend. You should be taking a break! You and Jane work too hard."

Maura sighed, setting her pen down. "I really do need to finish this report, and I would do so at the office, but there's some construction this weekend to repair a few issues, and I can't work in my office. Angela, I really need to be able to concentrate on this."

The older woman frowned and crossed her arms as she started to push. "Are you sure you can't finish that up on Monday morning? You haven't taken a break in over a week. Working all these long hours can't be good for you. You're a doctor, Maura. You know the importance of…"

Said doctor held her hand up to stop the speech. "I'm leaving," she said with a definitive air. "Do as you please with the house, just don't rearrange, organize, or paint anything." Pushing her irritation down a bit better, she added, "Thank you for cleaning, but please stay _out_ of my bedroom and personal bathroom." With that, she stood, gathered her items, placed them back in her laptop case along with her computer and headed to her bedroom.

"But where are you going?" Angela called out.

"Out," Maura replied before stepping into her bedroom to gather an overnight bag and supplies.


	3. Chapter 3

"Mmmm… warm water is warm," Jane mused as she sank lower into the tub. Face covered in a purple mask, she was taking a nice long moment to let the product do its thing before removing it. As it dried and tightened, she listened to the music and let her mind wander.

Subjects ranging from the latest Patriot's game to work rolled through her mind, and she let them sail by without much regard. At some point, she began to run what if scenarios in her mind. What if she started dating Casey? What if she hadn't slept with Dean? What if she had started dating Joey? What if she'd never met Maura?

She scrunched her face up in disapproval as that thought fly threw her mind, causing her mask to crack. Shaking her head to clear it, she reached for the wash cloth and carefully removed the purple to reveal a much cleaner, rosier face than when she'd started her bath.

"Never met Maura," she said to Jo, who was napping. "That would be like never having coffee or never understanding how catch a perp or never knowing what's it like to play attacker. I mean, that's just," she sighed. "No way. Took us too long to fix the broken after the whole Doyle thing. Why would I even _think_ that, Jo? Never met Maura." She sounded disgusted with herself. "She's the best thing that's ever happened to me. Well," she smirked, "besides getting my gold shield. But, you know, she's up there."

Her mind stuck on Maura, Jane sat still in the now bubbleless water for a moment before reaching for the cold cream to apply and allow to sit on her face for a bit as made use of the shaving supplies. "God, my life would _suck_ if she wasn't around to keep me sane," she mused aloud to herself as continued on with her bath.


	4. Chapter 4

Maura drove in silence. She was irritated, tired, and she had but one goal in mind. She wanted to finish her paperwork in peace, and there was only one place she could think of that she could get to quickly where her peace would be assured as she finished.

She chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about it. She wasn't sure she would even be welcomed. It had been a long week, and she knew that sometimes people wanted to be left alone to relax after being overly stressed for a long period of time. Still, she had always been told that she was both welcome to come any time day or night and permitted to use her key to do so.

Whether there was anyone home or not, Maura knew she could count on a safe haven. With that mental reassurance, she searched for a parking spot.


	5. Chapter 5

Jane didn't bother to watch the water drain as she toweled off. Stepping over the now fully sleeping dog, she picked up her radio, blew out the candles, and quietly padded to her bedroom. With the radio in its spot on her nightstand, she riffled through the drawers until she found the bottle of lavender lotion she kept stashed away.

She smiled as she remembered the day she received it as a gift from Maura. The doctor had insisted that a lotion with aloe and vitamin E would help her scars hurt less. Jane had scoffed at the other woman, declaring there was no way she was going to wear that girly stuff, but she had secretly been very pleased with it.

Her smile widened as she thought about how much Maura really did try to take care of her. Most of the things she did now that helped with pain management and healthy living were a direct result of her friend's insistence that Jane was worth Jane taking care of.

Making sure she was dry by running the towel over herself on last time, Jane stood facing the nightstand where lotion bottle and radio were sitting, and began to meticulously apply the lotion it starting with her torso.

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><p>Maura gave a sigh of relief as she slid the key into the apartment door. Peace and quiet were just moments away. As she quietly swung the door open and stepped inside, she was greeted with low lights, the sound of light music filtering through the apartment, and the smell of lavender, vanilla, and a hint of something she couldn't quite place.<p>

It was instantly calming and alarming at the same time. She had clearly stepped into some sort of private moment Jane was having, and she was tempted to call out, but she didn't want to startle her friend. Torn as to what to do but not really wanting to leave or find another place to go, she quietly set her things down on the sofa and made her way to the bedroom.

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><p>Jane's mind had continued to fixate on Maura even as she settled on her bed to apply lotion to her arms and legs. She had been mentally cataloguing everything she normally did with the other woman, everything she willing shared with the doctor that she would never consider sharing with another soul, and her overall feelings and reactions to the things that pertained to Maura Isles.<p>

The list was becoming extremely long, and, thought Jane's hands worked soothing strokes over her exposed flesh as she rubbed the scented lotion over her legs and thighs, her mind was becoming more and more agitated.

How had Maura become such a central part of Jane's life? When had her days become less than enjoyable if she didn't see the other woman? Why was it that, even now when she was giving herself a moment of pampering, Jane was really wondering where Maura was and what she was doing? Maura. That's all she thought about when the doctor wasn't around, and, if she were honest with herself, Maura was who she was thinking about the one night Dean spent the night.

Jane frowned. This was not a good development. She couldn't have these feelings. It wasn't right. It wasn't natural. It wasn't her. She wasn't into that kind of thing. It wasn't…

Who was she kidding? She'd felt this way about the doctor for years.

She gave grunt as she raised a leg to run lotion along the underside of her thigh and her calf.

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><p>Maura stopped in the hallway, catching her breath. Jane was sitting on her bed, nude, and applying lotion. The normally active thoughts the doctor was accustomed to as she went about her day came to a screeching halt as her eyes followed the path of Jane's hand along the back of her thigh and up her raised leg.<p>

She shouldn't be watching this. Jane would not approve. She shouldn't be watching, but she couldn't stop herself. She knew it was wrong, but, then again, most of the feelings and wants she had for the woman who was, no doubt, about to discover Maura watching her, were wrong.

Jane was her friend. Jane was not a love interest; she _couldn't_ be a love interest. Jane Rizzoli wasn't interested in women in that way. Maura knew this. They'd had conversations about this very thing, but that did not stop the emotions and feelings Maura had for the detective.

What was she going to do? She should move before she was discovered. She should go. She should pretend she'd never seen Jane in this state – nude, relaxed, clearly pampered…

"_Maura?"_


	6. Chapter 6

"Jane, I'm… oh!" Maura quickly averted her eyes, turning to face the hallway wall as Jane quickly pulled her towel up to cover herself.

"What are you doing here?" The detective's voice was panicked but not upset. In fact, there was a bit of concern laced with the confusion in her voice. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," the doctor answered, her eyes glued to the dull paint job of Jane's apartment. "I came over because Angela insisted on loudly cleaning the house while I was attempting to finish the Riley case files, and, when I asked her to stop, she began lecturing me on working too much. I didn't think you would mind if I came over for the night to finish up and, possibly, watch a movie later."

"Ah," Jane chuckled despite the awkwardness of the situation. "Ma's driving you nuts. I totally get that." She stood, wrapping the towel around herself before sitting back on the bed. "You can turn around now."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude." Maura slowly turned around and cautiously entered the bedroom. "You look like you were taking a day to pamper yourself."

Jane blushed. Her eyes darted to the bottle of lotion and radio before she gave a sheepish look to the woman who was taking a seat at the end of the bed facing her. "Yeah, you know, sometimes you just have to take a little time to yourself." She shifted uncomfortably. "I really want to hear what Ma said to you because I'm nosy, but I feel unbalanced because I didn't get my other leg…"

"Well," Maura tilted her head, half smirking and half frowning, "At this point I think modesty seems rather pointless."

"Yeah, well, I didn't really expect you to be staring at me while I was applying lotion. It's not like I was going for completely disregarding what little modesty with have with each other," Jane grumbled as she reached for the bottle. "You know, it's kind of messed up that you always seem to find me in some state of undress whenever you come over, but I think the most I've ever seen of you is when you wear a sports bra and yoga pants to work out." She shook her head as she scooted to the edge of the bed to apply lotion to the other leg. "Seems unfair."

Maura's face fell into a completely serious expression as she offered, "I could strip for you now to even the score, as you say. Would that make you happy?"

Jane's head snapped up. "You're serious?"

"You are correct. It is a little unfair. At this point, I _have_ seen you completely…"

"Okay, let's just pretend like we didn't start this conversation." Jane popped the lid on the lotion and placed it back in the drawer. "This whole thing is weird. I think you might be the only person in the world that I wouldn't freak out on for what just happened." She rolled her eyes. "God only knows why."

Maura frowned, considering. "You're certain? I don't mind, Jane. I trust you."

Without hesitation, Jane responded with sincerity, "I trust you, too, but you don't have to strip for me." She winced at her choice of words. "I mean, I don't have to see you without your clothes on. It was an accident. I'll be fine. I'm embarrassed as hell right now, but, you know, I'll get over it. Besides, what would Ma think if she walked in to find us naked and staring at each other?"

"She would likely assume we were in a romantic relationship, though, based on what she's recently said regarding the amount of time you and I spend together, she may be coming to that conclusion without the assistance of seeing us nude together." Maura shrugged. "Given her other assumptions regarding my personal life, the idea of the two of us dating each other far better than when she thought I might want to date Frankie."

"Frankie? Really?" Jane narrowed her eyes. "He's like, a poor copy of the original."

Maura smiled. "Who would that be?"

"Me." The detective's look clearly said that answer should be obvious.

"Perhaps," the honey brunette said, "but I don't settle for copies or substitutes. As you know, I prefer the real thing or nothing at all."

"Yeah, exactly, so why would Ma think you had a thing for Frankie. He's _always_ copied everything he thought I liked or wanted or did. He doesn't have an original thought in his head, I swear." Jane rolled her eyes. "He's such a copycat. He once dated a girl who was _exactly_ like the guy I was dating. I mean, they could have been fraternal twins they looked and acted so much alike. It was so freaky."

"He did ask me out on a date recently," Maura quietly confided.

"I'm going to kill him," Jane responded, standing and heading to her closet only to be stopped by a hand wrapped around her wrist.

"I said no, of course." The doctor pulled gently to guide Jane back to her. When the detective was standing in front of her, Maura asked quietly, "Why would you kill him?"

"Because he's trying to move in on… on… well, I mean, you're my _best friend_, and there are rules, Maura. You just don't do that." The detective pulled away but didn't step away.

"The phrase you're looking for is, I believe, 'He's trying to move in my territory', but I wasn't aware I was your territory. When did this happen?" The doctor's gaze was intense as she waited.

"No…" Jane slowly shook her head, eyes wide. "I wasn't going to say that."

Maura's eyebrow rose. "You're lying. Your facial expressions give you away."

"I… well… I mean… _Dammit_, Maura, just let it go, okay? I mean, it's not a big deal. He asked you out. You said no, and… why are you unbuttoning your shirt?" Jane took in a gasping breath.

"Because it's only fair," Maura stated simply as she pulled her shirt off, revealing a light grey bra with lace trim. She folded the shirt and stood as she spoke, "I keep catching you moments of exposure."

"Whoa," Jane turned her head and covered her eyes with one hand as she held her other up. "Stop. I mean it. It's not… Maura, please don't take your clothes off. In fact," she pointed with her free hand toward the bedroom door, "Can you step outside so I can get dressed?" She waited but didn't hear footsteps leaving. "Maura?"

"I'm still here."

"Are you naked?"

"Yes."

"Oooookay…" Jane shifted her weight as her brain went into overdrive to try to find a quick solution to her situation. "Why are you naked?"

"I'm nude because you are, and I've seen you completely exposed but you haven't seen the same of me. I believe in fairness, Jane." Maura paused to allow the comment to sink in before adding. "Open your eyes."

"I can't. I can't do this. This is crazy. Put your clothes. I mean it." She gave a little stomp of her foot for emphasis. "Best friends don't see each other nude, Maura. That's just not how that works."

"I'm sure you're correct," Maura conceded quietly as her hand pulled Jane's from the detective's face, "but lovers do."

"We're _not_ lovers, Maura." Jane's eyes remained closed, head turned.

The doctor's answer was soft and certain. "We should be."

Jane's eyes snapped open to look at the other woman, shock making her forget why she had them closed to begin with. Maura, nude and patiently waiting for a response quickly reminded Jane of why her eyes were closed. However, now open, she couldn't stop herself from running her eyes over Maura's exposed form.

She licked her lips and took in a deep breath as her gaze met the hazel eyes that were still waiting. "This. Is. Crazy."

Maura shook her head. "Daring, perhaps. Crazy? I don't think so."

The dark haired brunette valiantly tried to keep her eyes level with the doctor's as she attempted reason. "It'll never work. We're from different places."

"It already works. The only dynamic not already incorporated into our relationship is the physical factor of sex." Maura stepped closer.

Jane remained rooted in place. "I…really want to argue with you. I want to say things like, 'We're not gay' and 'What if everyone freaks out', but I'm having a hard time focusing right now."

"Good," Maura's smiled turned impish as she reached up to run a finger along Jane's jaw.


	7. Chapter 7

"Yeah, Ma, what is it?" Jane's voice was rough as she answered her phone.

"_Were you still asleep?"_

"It's Sunday morning; yes, I was still asleep." She rolled her eyes and resettled on the bed, smiling as an arm wrapped around her waist. "So why are you calling me at 8:30 in the morning?"

"_I thought we could have lunch together today. Maura didn't come home last night, so I have all this food to cook. I thought maybe we could have a little mother-daughter time."_

"Maura didn't come home last night?" Dark brown eyes met amused hazel. "Hope she at least had a good time." Maura gave an enthusiastic nod of her head.

"_She said she was leaving to finish up some paperwork or something. She works too much. You two both work too much."_

"Yes, we work too much, and we never take any time for ourselves. I've heard this speech before." Jane reached over to run her hand through Maura's wild looking hair. "Look, I think I want to chill at home today, okay? It was a long week, and I just want to rest for a change."

"_I could come over."_

"Do not come over." Jane's eyes grew wide even as Maura chuckled. "No, I'm fine. I just want some alone time, okay?"

"_Okay, sweetie, if that's what you want. But, if you change your mind, call me."_

"I will. Bye, Ma." With a sigh, Jane ended the call and set the phone back on the night stand. "She's going to drive me nuts one of these days."

"Possibly," Maura rolled onto her back to stretch, the sheet falling down to expose her from the waist up.

"We should tell her soon. I mean, not like today or anything. Maybe, in a couple of months after we know things will be okay with us." Jane regarded the other woman for a moment. "Would that be okay?"

Maura rolled back to return to her placed wrapped around Jane. "Yes, that's fine, but it may be difficult. She has a penchant for showing up at the most inopportune times."

"Yeah, well, we'll deal with it if that happens. But, for now," the detective sank back down into the bed, "I say was sleep some more. I didn't get a lot last night, don't know about you."

"I didn't, but the sleep deprivation was worth it," Maura grinned as she allowed Jane to roll her over and wrap around her. "I still need to finish that paperwork."

"Later," the detective said as they settled.

"Yes, Monday morning should do just fine," the doctor commented before drifting back to sleep in Jane's arms.

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><p><strong>Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are my candy!<strong>


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